2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Officially Opens Visit to India

By Paula Wolfson
New Delhi
02 March 2006

President Bush has officially begun his first visit to India Thursday with a welcoming ceremony at an historic palace.
 

President Bush began his first full day in India with ceremony and symbolism.  
  
U.S. President George W. Bush reviews the Indian honor guard at an arrival ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, or the President's House, in New Delhi, India, Thursday, March 2, 2006
A military band played as Mr. Bush stood with India's leaders on the grounds of an historic ornate building known as "the president's house." Once the residence of the British Viceroy, it later served as the home of India's first president, Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

"It is an honor to be here. I have never been to India before and I have been looking forward to this trip for a very long time. I am looking forward to working with the prime minister to foster a very important relationship."

President Bush then went directly to a place sacred to India - the spot where the man often referred to as the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was cremated¹ in 1948 following his assassination² by a Hindu extremist.

Ceremony then turned to substance as Mr. Bush opened talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. At the top of their agenda is completion of a civilian³ nuclear power cooperation agreement.

Under the deal, the United States would provide help for India's nuclear power plants. In exchange, the Indian government would put those plants under international safeguards.

1 cremated   

v.火葬，火化（尸体）( cremate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He wants to is cremated, not buried. 他要火葬，不要土葬。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bodies were cremated on the shore. 他们的尸体在海边火化了。 来自辞典例句

2 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。